Neale Meets Steele - "bebop Fest Revisited" at 606 Club

This is a terrific, swinging, hard-bop quintet featuring vibes player Nat Steele and sax/flute player Allison Neale. Originally put together for the "Bopfest" Jazz Festival in November 2015 by Nat it worked so well that a band was formed and we are pleased to be hosting this terrific group tonight. A beautifully fluent and inventive player on both alto sax and flute, Allison Neale plays in a strongly melodic “West Coast" cool jazz style reminiscent of her main influences Paul Desmond (of Dave Brubeck fame), Art Pepper and Stan Getz. Her flowing, melodic approach provides a fresh insight into modern jazz, and her work in groups such as John Dankworth’s Big Band and “Generations” band have established Allison as one of the scene’s leading sax and flute instrumentalists. Nat Steele is a young jazz vibes player who, since his recent arrival on the scene, has quickly gained a reputation as a talented musician to watch. His style is beautifully lyrical and melodic, but always with a focus on a hard driving swing, influenced by the iconic US vibes players such as Milt Jackson and Cal Tjader. As a vibes player or drummer he has worked with the likes of Hod O'Brien (US), Greg Abate (US), Peter King, Bobby Wellins and Clark Tracey and his quartet is regularly featured on the Late, Late Show at Ronnie Scott's. Completing the line up tonight will be pianist Rob Barron, bassist Dario De Lecce and drummer Matt Home. This promises to be an elegant, melodic gig full of subtle surprises and outstanding musicianship....

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This is a terrific, swinging, hard-bop quintet featuring vibes player Nat Steele and sax/flute player Allison Neale. Originally put together for the "Bopfest" Jazz Festival in November 2015 by Nat it worked so well that a band was formed and we are pleased to be hosting this terrific group tonight. A beautifully fluent and inventive player on both alto sax and flute, Allison Neale plays in a strongly melodic “West Coast" cool jazz style reminiscent of her main influences Paul Desmond (of Dave Brubeck fame), Art Pepper and Stan Getz. Her flowing, melodic approach provides a fresh insight into modern jazz, and her work in groups such as John Dankworth’s Big Band and “Generations” band have established Allison as one of the scene’s leading sax and flute instrumentalists. Nat Steele is a young jazz vibes player who, since his recent arrival on the scene, has quickly gained a reputation as a talented musician to watch. His style is beautifully lyrical and melodic, but always with a focus on a hard driving swing, influenced by the iconic US vibes players such as Milt Jackson and Cal Tjader. As a vibes player or drummer he has worked with the likes of Hod O'Brien (US), Greg Abate (US), Peter King, Bobby Wellins and Clark Tracey and his quartet is regularly featured on the Late, Late Show at Ronnie Scott's. Completing the line up tonight will be pianist Rob Barron, bassist Dario De Lecce and drummer Matt Home. This promises to be an elegant, melodic gig full of subtle surprises and outstanding musicianship.

“Allison Neale plays the alto saxophone with a tone so light...it positively melts at the edges” The Observer;
“Neale...a talent to savour” Jazz UK; "
Nat Steele... a remarkable young vibraphonist in the Milt Jackson tradition" The Observer

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